NSW Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series
Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, presenting 'Revolutionising the Future of Quantum Computing Technology' - Strangers' Room, Parliament of NSW, Thursday 26 June 2025.
The Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series showcases excellence in research and development which is generating economic, environmental, social and technological benefits for New South Wales. The series will again feature some of the state’s best and brightest, and highlight its tremendous research strength across a diverse range of disciplines.
2025 Calendar
2025 NSW Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series Calendar
For more information, please call the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer on (02) 9228 5762.
To receive invitations to the Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series, please register using the form below.
Subscribe
Wednesday 24 September 2025
Associate Professor Louise Brown
CEO and Founder, HydGene Renewables
Redefining Chemical Industries – Biocatalysis for Sustainable Manufacturing
The chemical manufacturing industry accounts for over 10 per cent of global CO2 emissions and remains one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise.
Dr Louise Brown is CEO and co-founder of HydGene Renewables, a NSW company which is pioneering how engineered microbes can transform the production of essential chemicals.
HydGene’s biocatalytic platform converts biomass waste, including agricultural residues and industrial by-products, into green hydrogen – the fundamental building block for thousands of chemicals.
Louise will highlight the scientific breakthroughs behind her company’s technology, developed from research at Macquarie University, and share how her team has scaled these innovations to field deployment aimed at decarbonising and securing supply chains for key chemicals, including nitrogenous fertilisers.
By unlocking local, renewable hydrogen production, HydGene’s technology provides a scalable path to decouple chemical manufacturing from fossil fuels.
Join Louise as she presents a compelling case study in nature-inspired innovation and how biotechnology can enable circular, more flexible manufacturing systems for a net-zero future.
About the Speaker
Associate Professor Louise Brown
Louise is a scientist-turned-founder with over 20 years of experience in bioengineering and synthetic biology. She completed her PhD at the University of Sydney and held research roles at Florida State University and UNSW Sydney, before joining Macquarie University in 2005 as an academic, leading a biophysics research group focused on engineering complex biological systems.
Louise played a founding role in establishing Synthetic Biology Australasia and is internationally recognised for leading multiple award-winning university and high-school teams in the global iGEM synthetic biology competition, supported through the STEM Student Competition Sponsorship Program, managed by the Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer.
Research from the gold-medal winning 2017 Macquarie University iGEM team seeded the technology behind HydGene, later supported through ARENA’s hydrogen R&D program.
Now CEO and co-founder of HydGene, Louise leads a growing team of 15, backed by international investors and government support. In April, HydGene was recognised by Forbes JAPAN as a resilient climate tech innovator for its role in strengthening sovereign industrial capabilities and advancing decarbonisation. The company is now delivering pilot and field projects to support industrial decarbonisation.
Wednesday 13 August 2025
Dr Jodi Rowley, Australian Museum and UNSW Sydney
FrogID: the Power of Community Engagement in Conservation
Thursday 26 June 2025
Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder, Diraq
Revolutionising the Future of Quantum Computing Technology
Wednesday 7 May 2025
Dan Winson, CEO, Zetifi
Next-Generation Wireless, Satellite and AI Innovations: Transforming Industries and Bridging the Digital Divide
Wednesday 5 March 2025
2024 NSW Scientist of the Year
Scientia Professor Helen Christensen AO
UNSW Sydney and The Black Dog Institute
Digital Technologies: Risks and Benefits for Youth Mental Health
2024 Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series
2024 Seminar Calendar
Wednesday 4 December 2024
Dr Daniel Getts
CEO, Myeloid
The Transformative Nature of mRNA - How it is Revolutionising Medicine Beyond Vaccines
Wednesday 6 November 2024
Professor Sharon Naismith
Brain and Mind Centre,
The University of Sydney
Optimising Brain Health for Dementia Prevention – Current Landscape and Future Pathways
Wednesday 14 August 2024
Professor Carolyn Hogg
The University of Sydney
Biodiversity, Bilbies and Battling Extinction
Wednesday 19 June 2024
Associate Professor Fatemeh Vafaee
UNSW Sydney
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence: Driving the Personalised Medicine of the Future
Wednesday 1 May 2024
Professor Gerry Swiegers
Chief Technical Officer, Hysata Pty Ltd
A New Approach to Industrial Production of Green Hydrogen: Bubble-Free Capillary Water Electrolysis
Note: this seminar video has been withheld at the request of Hysata Pty Ltd as it contained commercially sensitive material.
Wednesday 6 March 2024
2023 NSW Scientist of the Year, Emeritus Professor Trevor McDougall
UNSW Sydney
What the Ocean tells us about Climate Change
2023 Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series
Wednesday 22 November 2023
Professor David Reilly
The University of Sydney and Microsoft
A Digital Electronics Revolution to Support a Quantum Future
Wednesday 11 October 2023
Associate Professor Amy Cain
Macquarie University
Mini-machines: How Microbial Genes Can Improve the World
Wednesday 16 August 2023
Professor Richard McDermid
Macquarie University
Exploring Our Complex Cosmos with Next-Generation Telescopes in the Age of Data-Intensive Astronomy
Wednesday 14 June 2023
Ros Harvey
CEO, The Yield
Is Agriculture Ready for Artificial Intelligence?
Wednesday 10 May 2023
Professor Garry Myers
University of Technology Sydney
Synthetic RNAs for NSW and Australian Needs
Wednesday 1 March 2023
2022 NSW Scientist of the Year
Professor Glenda Halliday
The University of Sydney
Neurodegenerative Disease: Causes and Cures
2022 Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series
Wednesday 7 December 2022
Distinguished Professor Michelle Leishman
Macquarie University
Towards Nature - Smart Liveable Cities for the Future
Wednesday 19 October 2022
Chris Beal
Chief Executive Officer, NextOre Pty Ltd
Australian Technology’s Role in Addressing the Environmental Impacts of Mining
Wednesday 17 August 2022
Dr Carl Seubert
Chief Research Officer, SmartSat CRC
Guiding the Trajectory of Australia's Space Technology
Wednesday 29 June 2022
Professor Judith Dawes
Macquarie University
Photonics: Making Light Work
Wednesday 11 May 2022
2021 NSW Scientist of the Year Professor Jim Patrick AO
Cochlear and Macquarie University
The Cochlear Implant as a Treatment of Severe to Profound Hearing Loss
* Due to technical difficulties with the Parliament of NSW AV system, this video does not contain footage of the speaker, but rather the presentation slides and Professor Patrick's accompanying narration. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Wednesday 30 March 2022
Professor Hala Zreiqat AM
The University of Sydney
The Challenges in Engineering Human Tissue
2021 Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series
Wednesday 8 December 2021
Distinguished Professor Ian Paulsen
Macquarie University
Synthetic Biology: Inspired by Nature, Designed by Science
NOTE: there is an error in slide 32 of this presentation. The chromatogram shown in the bottom right of the slide is old data that has not been reproduced.
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 14 July 2021
Professor Francois Aguey-Zinsou
UNSW Sydney
Hydrogen Science and the Future of Australia
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 19 May 2021
Distinguished Professor Belinda Medlyn
Western Sydney University
Climate Change and Australian Vegetation: Where Are We Headed?
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 31 March 2021
2020 NSW Scientist of the Year
Professor Edward Holmes
The University of Sydney
The Discovery and Origins of SARS-CoV-2
WATCH THE SEMINAR
2020 Science & Research Breakfast Seminar Series
Wednesday 2 December 2020
Distinguished Professor Antoine van Oijen
University of Wollongong
Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance, from Molecule to Community
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 21 October 2020
Distinguished Professor Dayong Jin
University of Technology Sydney
Harnessing Nanophotonics for the Early Detection of Coronavirus
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 19 August 2020
Senior Professor Ross Bradstock
University of Wollongong
The Science of Bushfire Risk
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 1 July 2020
Professor Liz Pellicano
Macquarie University
Knowing Autism
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 20 May 2020
Professor Dietmar Müller
The University of Sydney
The Future of Geoscience in Australia
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 26 February 2020
2019 NSW Scientist of the Year
Scientia Professor Rose Amal AC
UNSW Sydney
Harnessing Solar Energy To Power Our Planet
WATCH THE SEMINAR
2019
Tuesday 3 December 2019
Professor Geordie Williamson
Director of the Mathematical Research Institute
The University of Sydney
Light, Sound and the Magic of the Fourier Transform
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 16 October 2019
Liesl Yearsley
CEO and Co-Founder, a·kin
The Co-Evolution of AI and Humanity
Tuesday 13 August 2019
Dr Cathy Foley
CSIRO Chief Scientist
Future Science 2040
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 19 June 2019
Professor Maria Kavallaris
Children's Cancer Institute and Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, UNSW Sydney
How Nanomedicine is Changing Cancer Treatment
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Tuesday 30 April 2019
Professor Michael J. Biercuk
The University of Sydney and Q-CTRL
Building the Quantum Economy
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 27 February 2019
2018 NSW Scientist of the Year
Laureate Professor Nick Talley AC
The University of Newcastle
Uncovering the Secrets of Serious Gut Disorders
WATCH THE SEMINAR
2018
Wednesday 28 November 2018
Dr Pasi Sahlberg
Gonski Institute for Education, UNSW Sydney
Finnish Lessons: Increasing Equity and Opportunity in
Australia's Education System Through Research
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 10 October 2018
Associate Professor Muireann Irish
School of Psychology, the University of Sydney
Memory in Dementia - Past, Present and Future
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 15 August 2018
Professor David Currow
Chief Cancer Officer, NSW and Chief Executive Officer,
Cancer Institute NSW
How Cancer Outcomes Can Continue to Improve
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 6 June 2018
Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla
Director of UNSW Sydney's Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT)
Green Microfactories: Products from Waste
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 9 May 2018
Professor Justin Gooding
Scientia Professor in the School of Chemistry at
UNSW Sydney and founding co-director of the
Australian Centre for NanoMedicine
How Sensors are Changing Our World
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 21 February 2018
2017 NSW Scientist of the Year
Professor Gordon Wallace AO
University of Wollongong
3D Printing, Bioprinters and Clinical Application
WATCH THE SEMINAR
2017
Wednesday 22 November 2017
Distinguised Professor Lesley Hughes
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Integrity and Development) and Professor of Biology at Macquarie University
Climate Change Frustration:
What Role the Public Scientist?
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 8 November 2017
Dr Peter Svensson
Vinnova - Sweden's Innovation Agency
Openness and Innovation:
Possibilities for New South Wales
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 18 October 2017
Professor Richard Roberts
Director of the new ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage at the University of Wollongong
Our Story: The Epic Human and Environmental History of Australia
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 9 August 2017
Professor Louise Baur AM
The University of Sydney
Tackling Childhood Obesity:
From the Clinic to Global Policy
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 28 June 2017
2016 NSW Scientist of the Year
Rick Shine AM, Professor in Evolutionary Biology at
The University of Sydney
Winner of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Science
Conversation in Cold Blood:
Researching Reptiles
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 5 April 2017
Mr Nick Kaye
CEO, Sydney School of Entrepreneurship
An Ecosystem, Satellites and a Stage:
Setting up Sydney’s School of Entrepreneurship
WATCH THE SEMINAR
Wednesday 1 February 2017
Dr Simon Poole